The book is a memoir, a love letter, and a call to action rolled in one. Vice President Biden recounts a tumultuous year, one that began over Thanksgiving in 2014, and continued through the end of his vice presidential term. He talks candidly about loss, about fear, and most importantly about fighting on.

He also talks about love. A father’s love, love for family, and love for community and country.

Grief is an emotion we’ve all felt, but we deal with it in our own ways. While Biden has suffered more than his fair share of loss, he focuses on the bravery and endurance of Eric Garner’s daughter, a slain NYPD officer’s widow and his parents, and the countless first responders and military servicemen and women – and their families.

“Promise me” is not Beau’s plea for his father to run for president (though he and Hunter both did), but for his dad to continue serving his nation in whatever capacity he could.

Reading this book caused some of my own grief to swell up – of Neela’s death, of my miscarriage. Rather than pushing those feelings down yet again, I grabbed my journal and wrote through these feelings – how I feel, and how I can honor both every day.

I wanted to read this book from the moment it was announced. But I didn’t know how badly I needed this book – as a woman, as someone who’s experienced loss, and as an American.

We were lucky to see Vice President Biden speak on Monday night. The whole time, one thought was in my mind.